Rick Heltebrake tells Anderson Cooper what happened when fugitive Christopher Dorner took his car at gunpoint on Tuesday.

Heltebrake first noticed a man in the trees with a gun before he realized it was Dorner. "I saw a vehicle crashed in the snow behind him, and he came up to the window of my truck, my driver window, with his gun pointed at me and he said, 'I don't want to hurt you. Just get out, start walking and take your dog," he recounts.

It was apparent to Heltebrake that he was not Dorner's intended target. The wanted former LAPD officer just needed the car. "He looked calm...business like almost."

After a few seconds, Heltebrake says he heard the gunfire exchanged between Dorner and law enforcement. He called the Sheriff's deputy and reported what happened before continuing on to remove himself from the area.

soundoff(2 Responses)

Eileen Barner

Generally, if a house is on fire the ppl inside would go out...exit house. Instead, Dorner made the choice to remain inside as the house/cabin burned to the ground. It is what it is, except that Dorner was a killer. The police followed policy to protect it's citizens.

February 15, 2013 at 12:15 am |

ray winters jr

If in fact the LAPD order the cabin to be burned down, to kill Mr. Dorner is that consider to be murder ? and will charges be brought against LAPD.?